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Guest Author: Lauren Dane - Characters
Bestselling author Lauren Dane is here today talking about her characters and her upcoming release Relentless, available tomorrow from Berkley.
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The first book I wrote was a paranormal. I loved the freedom of building worlds. They were my rules, my world, the characters did what I told them to. Of course when something didn’t work or make sense, that was all me too.
Building a world for your characters to inhabit is only part of the process though. In the end, any story that is about people and their relationships to each other will stand or fall through its characters. Over time, as I’ve found my voice and my “book legs” I find myself really drawn to characters as the foundation for the stories I want to tell.
In every book I’ve written and in every book I’ve read and loved, it’s always come down to the characters for me. When I read Susan Elizabeth Phillips, I’m drawn in immediately by her heroines. SEP has this way of creating characters who are flawed, you may not even like them at first, but over the course of the story, she lures you in closer and closer, revealing her characters bit by bit until she has you rooting for them. Similarly, Nora Roberts breathes life into her characters in a way that will stick with the reader the whole book long. I finished High Noon a few months back and I thought about how she’d given me a woman, a single mother struggling to raise her kid and pretty much her mother, all while she was a hardnosed cop too. There were no stereotypes here. She’s not cold or cut off from her sexuality, she’s just busy and totally broadsided by this man who stumbles into her path. Much like Eve with her jagged edges and tragic past. And yet she grows and matures, she makes mistakes and she learns from them.
So when I write a book, I nearly almost always have a strong idea of who at least one of the characters will be and I fill in all the details as I begin to write. Somewhere between a quarter to halfway through, I have my epiphany moment when I realize what the key is to why my characters are the way they are. Once I get there, the writing is easier, but I always have to journey with them a while until I figure it out.
I don’t have a muse. I don’t have rituals. But I do believe, quite strongly, that every character worth caring about has a backstory. The author may not reveal all the details to the reader, but I don’t think a character truly lives and leaps off the page unless they’re fully realized, unless they have a history. Just like real people I suppose. Authors can run the risk of revealing too much too soon and info dumping or taking too much time and frustrating the reader or seeming coy. I generally try to think about pace and how people react to each other as I reveal. Each couple will have its own dynamic, some men wouldn’t stand for a heroine holding back a secret until 80% of the way into the story, while other heroines figure out what the hero is trying to deal with and wait for him to find the right time to spill his secrets.
So in Relentless, we’ve got two people who at first glance are radically different. A woman who is unranked, powerless when compared to those citizens who are from Ranking Families. A woman who is set to bring down the system of governance she believes is unjust and outdated. Roman is not just a have but the most highly Ranked citizen in the Known Universes. He’s suave, he’s cultured and smooth and yet, once you dig down a bit, once they both dig down, they’re not so very different at all.
The moment when I truly understood Roman was a scene at his home. His hands are in the dirt and he’s speaking to Abbie about how that garden was the first in Ravena when they settled there. That earth had nourished his people and he was still the steward of that legacy. He’s not a tyrant. He’s not a despot who believes himself better than the people he serves. He takes his job seriously. And Abbie can see that as she’s there, listening to him relate the story. In that moment when he was revealed to me, he’s revealed to Abbie too.
For Abbie, it was more cumulative for me. She’s driven, she believes in her cause and she was raised that way. But she’s got empty spots, she’s blinded to small details sometimes because she’s so totally focused on the big picture. It’s through Roman and her brother that we learn about the woman inside the rabble rouser. She revealed herself slowly, not to be coy, but because I don’t know if Abbie truly understood herself until she saw through Roman’s eyes.
Relentless was probably one of the toughest books I’ve written. Not because it’s laden with sparkly research or anything. But because I wanted the pacing to be just right. I wanted a sense of being out of time, a sense of impending doom but also, the belief that somehow it would be okay. I think it’s Abbie and Roman who make that happen, or I hope it is anyway and I hope readers enjoy this installment in the Federation Universes.
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What a great article! I know I personally find her characters to be wonderfully drawn and I'm sure all of you will, too.
**Contest Alert: Leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite novel by Lauren is, or what novel you most want to read if you haven't tried her yet, and you'll be entered to win one of THREE copies of Relentless!**
Contest ends Thursday, May 7 at 11:59 p.m. by the timestamp on the blog.
**As an added bonus: If you link to this post from your blog, website, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or other social media site, we'll also enter you to win one of TWO copies of Undercover, the first book in this series (they can be read as stand-alones!).**
Check out my review of Undercover here and an exclusive excerpt of Relentless here.
50 comments:
Relentless sounds so great. Can't wait to read it!
i haven't tried her books yet, but either Undercover or Relentless sound intriguing :)
I haven't tried her yet :(
But I'd love to read Undercover and then move on to relentless
I just finished reading her Cascadia Wolves series - yum! I definitely want to read more of her books.
Lauren is a new fav of mine, but have not read either Undercover, or the new Relentless, but am always happy to spread the word about her books. I have added a link to this post at my blog. I am getting ready to read "Always" next.
http://seductivemusings.blogspot.com/2009/05/book-binge-guest-author-lauren-dane.html
cldivineATyahooDOTcom
I absolutely loved Undercover! It was so different and the world that Lauren created was so real and believeable. But I have to say that my all time fav of her's is Making Chase. I fell in love with the characters right of way. And the entire series was amazing, but I could identify with Tate. And who wouldn't love Matt!
I have never read Lauren Dane but I'm always up for a enw author to try.
I haven't tried Lauren Dane yet but she is definitely going on my new authors list.
I would love to read both Undercover and Relentless.
This would be a new author for me, both sound good!
I have read a couple of her books. I love her stuff. Undercover has been on my Wishlist since it came oout. Relentless looks delish as well. i can recommend as my Favorite read title Triad from her Witches Knot series.
My introduction to LD was when I won a copy of To-Do List via Angela James's blog. (Or the Samhain blog; I can't remember.) I later read her novella in the What Happens in Vegas anthology.
But I'm really itching to get my hands on Undercover and Relentless because futuristics totally float my boat right now :-)
Hi Lauren! I think Giving Chase is my favorite. I loved every interaction between the hero & heroine. I loved who they were as individuals as well.
For those of you who haven't read Lauren'd books before, what sets her apart is her voice. Her characters speak like real people, and I love that. It doesn't matter if it's a contemp, a paranormal, or a futuristic. They are all very real.
My favorite is the whole Cascadia Wolves series, can't choose only one...I'd love to read Relentless!
I have really liked everything I have read by Lauren. I haven't had the chance to read the Cascadia Wolves series and that is next on my list after Relentless.
(Please don't enter me in the drawing, as I have both novels :grin: In fact, here's my review of Undercover.)
These are both really, really good.
okay trying to link to my face book. this site hates me lol but i am trying do i get brownie points for that :) but love all your novels!!! so have to try!
I've been meaning to read Undercover and then move to Relentless. So please count me in, I'd love to win Relentless :)
chayanna82(at)hotmail(dot)com
I'm going to have to read both books! I guess I'd start with Undercover.
I posted this link on my sidebar:
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com
I found it very intersting to read how Lauren wrote her characters. I haven't read any of Lauren's books but both of these are on my TBB list. :-)
Larena
Sadly I have yet to read any of Lauren's books yet. I would love to read any of hers but READING BETWEEN THE LINES caught my attention.
Hehe, and Lauren I took your advice on what book to read next. I'm reading Blue Diable at the moment. Enjoying it thus far!
I think Ascension is my very, very favorite Lauren Dane book...it's hard to choose, but LOVE that world so much!!
Great blog, Lauren! I've read your Chase Brothers series, but I'm convinced that I now have to read both Undercover and Relentless.
I want to read the Chase Brothers series. I just purchased Taking Chase online and can't wait until that book arrives.
The only book I have read has been Witches Knot:Triad. However, I am most looking forward to reading Relentless.
Posted to my Facebook: Elaine Stevens-Ramirez
I have only read Undercover...although I have two of the Chase books on my TBR
Haven't read anything by her yet - guess like everyone else I would love to read either Undercover or Relentless as both of them sound great.
I love the whole Chase series, but my favorite was the fourth, Making Chase. There is something to be said for the not so skinny, no trust fund, not the most popular girl getting chosen by the towns favorite pretty boy that just warms the cockles of my not so skinny, no trust fund, not the most popular girl heart.
I loved Touch of Fae and will alway be partial to that one. But I've loved everyone I've read so far.
I loved Undercover, but my favorite Lauren Dane book is Triad. I can't wait to read Relentless. Thanks for the contest.
I haven't read any yet but Relentless looks very interesting!
I haven't read any yet but I want Relentess!!
mj.coward[at]gmail.com
I haven't read anything yet by Lauren but I would love to read "Undercover."
I posted a link to the contest here:
http://razloversbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/book-binge-guest-author-lauren-dane.html#links
Thanks!
I loved the Cascadia Wolves books.
Congrats on the release of Relentless and I am really looking forward to reading it.
I think that my favorite Lauren Dane book is Taking Chase. I just loved the characters and those Chase brothers are some of my favorites.
I'd like to read Relentless. I've also posted this contest on my site.
Undercover is my favorite. I love that book. I've read it 3 times!!
I'd love to win!!! What happens in Vegas sounds like another I would like to read as well. Anthologies are great because I get to try out new authors as well as old favorites!
My favorite is "Always." I've been wanting to read "Undercover," too.
I've not had the opportunity to read her work. Would love to read her book "Undercover". Have a great day.
I own Chased and Making Chase and look forward to reading those two books.
Diana
Triad was my fave book!
Hi Lauren! My first book by you was TRIAD! I remember going to a chat and the moderator asking me why I never read yours! And told me to start with TRIAD. I never looked back!! Not just because it was the first book for me but too so much a unique read!
I posted on my blog at http://myspace.com/auntcaffey
I haven't read anything by Lauren yet but I already have Relentless on my to be read list.
vonkittiehaven@aol.com
loved under cover cool to win this one
thanks ladies
kh
I haven't read anything by Lauren Dane yet, but Undercover caught my eye when it came out and now Relentless sounds really interesting.
My favorite book of Lauren is Trimates. I love menage.
I would love to get my hands on Relentless.
My favorite so far is Giving Chase, but I reserve the right to change my mind after I get to more of her books :)
Tried posting this to my MySpace at:
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&bID=487791658
I've only read one book of her's - Taking Care of Business and loved it!!
lynda98662 at yahoo dot com
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